Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you wanted to know about Pangea and continental drift

About Pangea

What was Pangea?

Pangea (also spelled Pangaea) was a supercontinent that existed between roughly 335 and 175 million years ago. It was the most recent supercontinent in Earth's history, containing nearly all of Earth's landmass in a single connected body.

When did Pangea break up?

Pangea began breaking apart around 175 million years ago during the Early Jurassic period. It first split into two large landmasses, Laurasia in the north and Gondwana in the south, and continued fragmenting over the following 100+ million years into the continents we recognize today.

What came before Pangea?

Before Pangea there were earlier supercontinents. Rodinia existed roughly 1.1 billion to 750 million years ago. Before that, Columbia (also called Nuna) formed around 1.8 billion years ago. Earth has cycled through multiple supercontinents over its 4.5 billion year history.

Was Antarctica part of Pangea?

Yes. During Pangea, Antarctica was part of the southern supercontinent Gondwana, and was located much closer to the equator than it is today. Evidence of tropical forests and even dinosaur fossils have been found in Antarctica, confirming its warmer ancient past.

Will there be a future supercontinent?

Most geologists believe so. Depending on the model, Earth's next supercontinent, sometimes called Amasia or Pangea Proxima, could form in roughly 250–300 million years as the Atlantic Ocean closes and the continents converge again.

About the Map

How accurate is the map?

The map uses GPlates paleogeographic reconstruction data, which is based on peer-reviewed scientific models. These models are updated as new geological evidence emerges. Uncertainty increases the further back in time you go, reconstructions older than 400 million years are more approximate.

How do I find my country on the map?

Use the search box at the top of the map to type a country name. The map will highlight that country's approximate location and follow it through time as you move the time slider.

What does "Ma" mean on the slider?

"Ma" stands for mega annum, millions of years ago. So "250 Ma" means 250 million years ago, during the late Permian period, just before the Great Dying mass extinction.

What is PaleoDEM mode?

PaleoDEM (Paleographic Digital Elevation Model) shows estimated ancient ocean depths and land elevations in addition to coastlines. It gives a richer picture of what Earth's surface looked like, including shallow seas and mountain ranges that no longer exist.

About Plate Tectonics

Why do continents move?

Continents move because Earth's outer shell (the lithosphere) is broken into tectonic plates that float on the semi-molten mantle below. Heat from Earth's interior drives convection currents in the mantle, which slowly push and pull the plates, typically at a rate of 2–10 centimeters per year, roughly the speed your fingernails grow.

How do we know where the continents were millions of years ago?

Scientists use several lines of evidence: matching rock types and fossils found on different continents, the direction ancient magnetic minerals were frozen when rocks solidified (paleomagnetics), the age of ocean floor rocks, and GPS measurements of how plates move today.